Ibn Arabi was reprimanded by Prophet Khidr

 

Ibn Arabi was reprimanded by Prophet Khidr

Ibn Arabi, who was dubbed the greatest sheikh in the world of Sufism, admitted to being met three times by Prophet Khidr. Allow me to recount the first meeting of Ibn Arabi, who was called Doctor Maximus (Greatest Doctor) in Europe in the middle ages, with Prophet Khidr, who in the Qur'an is said to be the teacher of Prophet Moses.

Ibn Arabi at that time was still studying at his teacher Sheikh 'Uryabi in Seville, Spain. Shaykh 'Uryabi told Ibn Arabi that he met the Apostle in a dream. The Apostle then revealed a secret about a figure who had a high position. Ibn Arabi actually did not know directly the figure who was considered high in his station, but he knew one of the character's brothers.

Ibn Arabi expressed his disbelief with the story of Shaykh 'Uryabi. Based on his vision of the character's brother, Ibn Arabi was surprised and then did not believe that the Apostle declared the character's position. Ibn Arabi's rebuttal hurt the teacher's heart.

However, this is an unseen event where the Apostle himself revealed the secret of the character's position. Ibn Arabi should not refute the spiritual information based solely on what he knows about the character's brother, not directly familiar with the character. Maybe at that time as a santri it occurred to Ibn Arabi that this character did not deserve a high position in the sight of Allah, but who really has the right to judge that? Only Allah and His Messenger know. It is certainly not good to deny such spiritual information based on prejudice and conjecture. After all, what would we lose if A or B and C turned out to have a higher station.

Sheikh 'Uryabi, who was hurt by his students, chose not to argue. He just said quietly, "OK, if that's your view of the person mentioned by the Apostle". The atmosphere became bad. Ibn Arabi regretted having presumptuously denied the teacher who had actually put his trust in him by being willing to tell him about this special dream. Moreover, the dream was not about the teacher but about someone else, and the teacher did not benefit at all from the dream that was told.

Ibn Arabi then said goodbye because he was not happy to see the change in his teacher's face. Ibn Arabi left his teacher's residence, suddenly on the way he was greeted by a stranger. With a gentle smile, the person said: "Accept what your teacher says, don't argue with it, because what he says is true". Ibn Arabi was surprised to hear the words of the unknown person. How could that person know what had just happened between Ibn Arabi and Shaykh 'Uryabi when it was only the dialogue between the two of them.

Hearing the speech of the unknown person, Ibn Arabi immediately turned back to his teacher's residence and wanted to apologize to his teacher because his heart was really upset with the previous event. As soon as he opened the door of his teacher's residence, Sheikh 'Uryabi immediately said to Ibn Arabi: "Should I ask Prophet Khidr to come and rebuke you every time you contradict me so that you will believe in what I tell you?"

Ibn Arabi was surprised. How could the teacher know that he came back because someone had reprimanded him. And is it true that the one who reprimanded him was Prophet Khidr? Choking, Ibn Arabi asked slowly: "So the person outside was Prophet Khidr?" The teacher nodded. And Ibn Arabi prostrated himself in front of the teacher while apologizing.

Ya Rahman, irham dha'fana

Oh Most Merciful, have mercy on our weakness